Theatre of the Absurd and Modern Indian Drama: A Study of Kiran Nagarkar's Bedtime Story

Modern Indian drama has frequently drawn upon Western dramatic modes while reshaping them to reflect indigenous social and political realities. The Theatre of the Absurd, with its emphasis on meaninglessness, fragmentation, and human alienation, finds a distinct yet modified expression in Indian theatre. This paper examines Kiran Nagarkar’s Bedtime Story as a significant example of modern Indian drama that incorporates elements of the Theatre of the Absurd. By analyzing its narrative structure, dramatic techniques, characterization, and thematic concerns, the study argues that Nagarkar employs absurdist strategies not to promote existential nihilism but to critique social apathy, political silence, and moral paralysis. The paper concludes that Bedtime Story represents an Indian adaptation of Absurd theatre, blending myth, satire, and modern sensibility to expose contemporary socio-political realities.